On a special edition CD/DVD set, Twisted Sister presents their aggressive stance on their defiant 1982 debut album, Under The Blade, produced by UFO bassist Pete Way, along with previously unreleased footage from the band’s appearance at the 1983 Reading Festival in England. This is about as heavy as you’re ever going to hear Dee Snider and the band.
From “Bad Boys,” Snider regales us with that usual Sister us-against-them-mentality, but the chorus is fun and silly. “Run For Your Life,” “Sin After Sin” and “Tear It Loose” are heavy with catchy choruses. “Shoot E’m Down” is more straight-ahead rock, Almost as if the band is trying to be lie KISS. The scratchy infamy of “Under The Blade” — Tipper Gore’s favorite tune — and “Day Of The Rocker” shows the band using a lot more space in the verses — though the lyrics are fairly cringe-worthy.
four songs from the band’s Ruff Cuts EP, which are just looser productions of songs that would eventually appear on subsequent Twisted Sister albums. Highlights include the band’s infamous version of “Leader of The Pack” and a live version of “Shoot ‘Em Down” — which is included on the DVD. Of course, on the DVD, most of the material is from Under The Blade, plus “It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll.” Watch as Dee Snider gets more than a bit riled with UK fans throwing stuff on stage. But what’s most apparent is how heavy Twisted Sister really were in their pre-MTV days. For another stab at Under The Blade, this special edition is well worth it.
~ Ralph Greco, Jr.
